Unless you want everyone who tastes these recipes to fall head over heels, don’t make them! A perfect pairing of a side dish and dessert to make for someone special, these hasselback potatoes and red velvet cupcakes are even more delicious when made with love. A surefire way to win over any potential suitor. 

HASSELBACK POTATOES 

Potato ingredients:

• 6 medium Yukon Gold potatoes

• Olive oil

• Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

• Fresh parsley and red pepper flakes, for serving

• Garlic butter

Potato directions:

Preheat the oven to 425°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Place one of the potatoes on a cutting board and lay butter knives or chopsticks along both of its long sides. Use a sharp knife to cut the potato crosswise into ⅛-inch-thick slices, stopping when your knife reaches the butter knives or chopsticks so that the potato stays intact at the bottom. Repeat with the remaining potatoes

Lay the potatoes on the baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and use your hands to coat, doing your best to get the oil and seasonings in between the potato slices. Add more olive oil and roast for 50 minutes.

Remove the potatoes from the oven and brush with the garlic butter. Roast for another 25 minutes, or until the potatoes are tender in the middle and crisp around the edges. Season to taste with salt and pepper and top with parsley and red pepper flakes. Serve with more garlic butter on the side.

Garlic butter ingredients:

• Unsalted butter, at room temperature

• Garlic, minced

• finely chopped fresh parsley or chives

• Salt

When the butter is soft and spreadable, place all the ingredients in a small bowl, and stir until they are well-combined. Enjoy the butter right away, or store it in the fridge for later use. So easy!

RED VELVET CUPCAKES

Cupcake ingredients:

• 1⅔ cups all-purpose flour

• 3 teaspoons cocoa powder

• 1 cup granulated sugar

• 1 teaspoon baking powder

• ¼ teaspoon baking soda

• ¼ teaspoon salt

• ¾ cup softened butter

• 3 large eggs

• 2 tablespoons vanilla extract

• ¾ cup buttermilk (or ¾ cup whole milk combined with ¾ tablespoon lemon juice, let sit for 10 min)

• Red food coloring

• Mini chocolate chips

Cream cheese frosting ingredients:

• 1 ½  sticks softened butter

• 3 cups powdered sugar

• 8 ounces cream cheese

• ½  teaspoon vanilla extract

• 1 pinch salt

• Chocolate hearts (optional)

Cupcake directions:

Preheat oven to 350 and fill a cupcake pan with liners

Whisk the flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking powder, salt, and baking soda together, then cut the butter into small pieces and stir in with a spatula

In a separate bowl, whisk eggs, buttermilk, vanilla, and food coloring

Slowly mix the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and fold in mini chocolate chips

Fill cupcake liners and bake 15-20 minutes, then let cool completely

Frosting directions:

Beat softened butter until fluffy, then beat in cream cheese, salt, and vanilla

Slowly beat in the confectioners sugar (best to use an electric mixer) until desired stiffness and sweetness is achieved

Pipe frosting on cooled cupcakes and top with chocolate hearts